thebodyguardsprincess M47 annmayburn 2 (14 page)

The door opened and a tall, thin man in a black suit walked in with a serious expression. "Good morning." He nodded at all of them as Asher closed the door behind him. An expression of shock flickered across his face as he saw her standing by the bar. Her usually red and swollen crying face must been in full effect, because he stared before turning back to the men. "If you gentlemen could please have a seat on the couch, I'd like to ask the lady some questions."

Keeping their eyes on each other, Asher and Kent sat on opposite sides of the small coffee table.

"Sorry about the yelling," she said, trying to detract the hotel security guard's attention from the men. "Really, we're okay. We were talking about the playoffs and I lost my temper." That sounded lame even to her.

The tall man's lips twitched, and he joined her at the bar. He moved close, invading her personal space. "What was the argument about? Did those fags fight over the last doughnut with the sprinkles?"

Shock slammed through her and she backed into the edge of the bar, whacking her hip on one of the chairs. Before she could duck, he had her in a chokehold and turned her to face the men. Cold metal pressed to her temple, and the men froze on the other side of the room.

"Who are you?" Kent asked in a low growl. Behind him, Asher made a small movement forward.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the barrel of a silencer a moment before the shot rang out. Asher dropped to his knees with a scream, hands covering his thigh as blood began to darken his jeans.

"No!" She lunged against the man and the barrel returned to her head. Shaking with fear, she moaned as Asher moved his hands and tried to take his belt off. Kent remained frozen, not turning around as Asher panted.

"Who are you?" Kent asked again.

The man began to drag her toward the door and chuckled. "The luckiest man in the world." He jerked to a stop and nodded to Asher. "Better help your butt buddy with his tourniquet."

"God must have sent me a sweet tooth this morning," he mused and stroked the barrel of the gun down her cheek. All of her attention was focused on Asher as Kent knelt next to him and helped him remove his belt. Asher rolled his eyes at her, and she moaned softly at the dazed look. "Imagine how astonished I was to see the faggot that had been such a pain in our ass, no pun intended, standing in line ordering a dozen doughnuts."

"Fuck you," Asher said in a weak voice

He tightened his grip on her and continued. "Time is getting short for me, and your little cock-sucking buddy. Tell the Sanjit David sends his regards."

"Where are you taking her?" Kent's hands were slick with blood as he applied pressure to the wound.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll be able to see what's going to happen." They were almost at the door now, but the gun remained tight to her head. "Go to the anarchists website. We'll be broadcasting live. I want you to live. I want you to tell the authorities about us. I want you to bear witness to our supremacy." His voice took on a feverish heat. "I want you to know the true power of what freedom by any means necessary is." His voice shook with emotion. "When the world is free of fascist lapdogs like you, people will have the choice to find their pleasures in any way they choose."

Breath stinking of old coffee washed over her as he said against her cheek, "Lalita, I want you to start visualizing your vase."

She glanced at the men. Did she pretend to be hypnotized or should she try to fight him? Every so subtly, Kent nodded. "I am the lock."

"I am the key." The gun moved away from her cheek but remained pressed against her ribs. She needed to get that gun away from him, find a moment when he wasn't aiming it at someone. The time spent training with her men fled her mind and she couldn't remember a way to disarm him. All she could think of was the bullet flying from the gun faster than she could move.

"Lalita," he said against the top of her head, "will be the one responsible for pulling the trigger on our big surprise. Wonder how the authorities will explain that? Considering she's dead and all." He gave her a gentle push. "Lock, go get their cell phones and rip the phone out of the wall."

Hoping the men couldn't make out the panic in her eyes, she tried to appear as normal as she could. Not saying a word, she removed the cell phones from the bar. Next, she ripped the cord of the hotel phone out of the wall. The tall man wasn't even bothering to watch her, instead keeping his gun trained on the men.

"We will stop you," Kent hissed from the other side of the room. Asher lay back on the carpet, his chest moving in a shallow up and down movement. His dark skin had a gray tinge to it and his hand trembled at his side. Keeping her expression blank was the hardest thing she had ever done.

The tall man snorted and took the phones from her. "Lock, where will the police be looking for us tonight?"

She tried to make her voice monotone and relaxed. "At the casinos and on the waterfront."

"Good girl. Lock, what do they think will happen?"

"They don't know."

A complex knock sounded on the door behind him. The tall man kissed the top of her head, and then removed a plastic baggie from his pocket. Before she could wonder what going on, he placed a wet cloth over her mouth. "Say goodnight."

Chapter Twelve

"Poke, poke, poke, poke." A woman's shrill titter broke through the fog fuzzing Lalita's mind. She blinked her eyes and tried to clear her head. The world around her rocked gently and the strains of a big band song played from somewhere above her.

A series of sharp prods jabbed into her arm again, bringing her fully awake. The glare of a bright light moved past her face as she lifted her head from where it slumped against her shoulder. A grinning, older blonde woman, who would not have been out of place at a church bake sale, watched her. That is, if the church encouraged its parishioners to wear latex nurses’ uniforms with crotchless panties and what looked like plush dog ears.

They were both seated on a narrow bed in a room softly lit with recessed lights. The world swayed for a moment and she had to fight against a surge of nausea. The naughty nurse perched on the edge of the bed that Lalita slouched on.

"Hi," she said in a perky voice and leaned closer. Lalita noticed she had red lipstick smeared on her teeth as her face filled her vision. "Anyone in there?" She rapped a knuckle against Lalita's skull.

The wall behind her back rocked gently. Moving her head took more effort than it should of, but she tried look beyond the nurse and get her bearings. Long and narrow, the bed she sat on pressed against the wall and had a low brass railing on the side. The white lamp was bolted to the small table next to the bed, and the table had a small railing as well. As the room rocked again, she could hear water slapping against the wall.

Fear and panic made her palms sweat, but she tried to focus past the impulse to scream for help. Nothing tied her up and it felt like her hands and legs were free. Trying to keep her expression dull, she let her head flop to the side again.

The door to the hall stood wide open, and she was afraid if she tried to attack the woman, she would scream and alert whoever might be out there. Asher and Kent's lessons about self-defense and what to do in a hostage situation came flooding back. Evaluate the situation and try to find the exits before you act or you could end up trapped and dead. The memory of Asher being shot surfaced and she bit her tongue to keep the tears at bay.

"Hey, wake up!" The blonde poked her shoulder with a long red nail that was sharpened into a wicked point. Continuing to bite her tongue, Lalita watched the tip sink into the flesh of her arm in a rapid motion like a sewing needle. The annoying poke grated on her nerves and she wanted more than anything in the world to bite the woman's finger off. But if the naughty nurse knew she was aware and not hypnotized, she would probably be tied up … or worse.

"Fuck," the woman muttered and her hand gripped Lalita by the hair, forcing her face up. Keeping her gaze unfocused, Lalita used the relaxation techniques she had to learn to stave off panic attacks. Breath in, breath out, nothing but the breath. The nails pinched painful gouges in her flesh.

The woman shook head back and forth. The mint and peach bedspread became a swirl in her vision and she was afraid the woman was going to start ripping her hair out next. The smell of alcohol wafted off the woman's breath in an almost visible wave. "Master!"

No answer came and the woman pulled herself off the bed. Watching her wobble on a pair of needle-thin red stilettos, Lalita tried to get up the courage to rush her. All she would have to do was grab her in a chokehold and--and kill her. The reality of committing murder churned her gut and made her hands shake. Could she do it? Could she really try to kill someone? The image of Asher, gray and bleeding on the carpet of the hotel room flashed through her mind and a cold anger began to replace her indecision.

Before she mustered the courage to attack the woman, laughter rang down the hallway from multiple voices. Quickly slumping her head back, Lalita tried to hear over the slapping of waves at the side of the boat. The rumble of a boat’s engine moved past and she wondered where they were.

"Puppy, is our guest awake?" A male voice called. It was hard to decipher if it was the voice of the man who shot Asher.

The blonde woman whined, "Yeah, but she's about as useful as a bucket full of piss. Just flops around and drools."

"Ohhhh, a floppy drooler. Sounds like fun," a familiar voice said with a sultry purr. Male and female laughter filled the small cabin, and the tread of footsteps and rustling cloth moved closer. A light and floral perfume tickled at her nose. That, too, seemed familiar.

Heart slamming in her throat, Lalita prayed with all her might she wasn't imagining who the voice and scent belonged to.

"Here she is," a man said in an affable voice, and she identified him as the man in the hotel room. "Your little fuck doll to play with for the next half hour."

"Hmpf, for five thousand dollars I was expecting something more." A silver-gloved hand slid beneath her chin and a sparkly red and blue top filled her line of sight. "I thought you said she'd do anything I want? She looks like she's drugged out of her mind." The hand moved away with a caress of silk. "Not much fun to torture like this. Your puppy boasted about the quality of your submissives."

Letting her head slump back to her chest, Lalita fought back tears. Profound relief filled her at the sight of her savior’s golden curled wig and sparkly false eyelashes.

"Watch this," the man said in a smug voice. He leaned over and the mattress dipped as he whispered in her ear, "I am the Key."

Lifting her head, she stared straight ahead at the wall. "I am the Lock."

"Not much improvement," Blondie said with a derisive snort. "I'm not going to make any money on my website dominating a catatonic bitch. Evidently, all your bragging to my wife was just that, bragging. This doesn't look like a pain-slut eager to please."

"Lock, are you listening to me?" She turned her head toward the sound of his voice and tried to only focus on him. It was the man from the hotel, the one that shot Asher. Blondie's elaborate outfit sparkled out of the corner of her eye but she kept her gaze focused on the man. Hate filled her. She wanted him to pay for hurting Asher. She wanted him to pay for destroying her world.

"Yes," she said in a soft whisper, her voice rough with disuse.

"You will do anything this man--sorry, woman tells you." David pulled Blondie over. "This woman is the center of your world, your loving mistress. You will do anything to please her and make her happy. Do you understand, Lock?"

"Yes, Key." She added a sigh to her words, smiling at Blondie with what she hoped looked like love instead of terror.

"Interesting," Blondie murmured. "How long do I have?"

With the blonde leaning her head on his shoulder, David checked his watch. "Around thirty minutes. You can have her back after the fireworks."

The naughty nurse smiled and fluttered her lashes at Blondie. "We're so proud to have you featuring one of our girls."

The blonde tittered over his shoulder, and David continued, "You'll find some toys in the closet. Clean them up when you're done."

Blondie pulled a digital camera out of a hidden pocket in the flounces of her silver skirt. "If you'll excuse me, I need to teach the slut some lessons in servitude."

"Oh, one more thing." David gave Blondie a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Her pet name is Bitch."

Gritting her teeth, Lalita tried to turn her growl into a moan and ran her hands over her breasts.

"Oh my," Blondie purred. "Bitch, on your knees."

Twining her fingers into David's hair, the blonde woman tittered. "Do you need any help?"

Blondie strode over and ran her gloved hand over Lalita's cheek. "For five thousand? Dream on, Nurse Nancy."

Pouting, the nurse flounced out the door, wobbling over the threshold in her heels. David followed her and then turned. "You can bleed her, you can beat her, but she must be able to walk and use her hands."

"Wonderful," Blondie said in a cheery voice and slapped Lalita across the face hard enough to make her cry.

The man chuckled softly and closed the door.

Blondie ran over and twisted the lock before saying in a loud voice, "You want to please me, don't you my little bitch?" Her words stroked the fire between Lalita's legs, and she made a frantic gesture with her hands, mouthing the word “stop.”

Eyes wide, Blondie helped her to her feet and whispered, "Oh fuck. They didn't break the trigger yet?"

Lalita threw her arms around Blondie and pressed her face into the scratchy sequins, breathing in the light floral scent of her perfume. "No. We were hoping I would remember something more that would help. It's not as bad as it was, but it's still … distracting." Blondie muttered a few choice swear words. "What are you doing here? Is Asher okay? Are you going to rescue me?"

Blondie paced to the other side of the small room and said, "That's it, cry for me." Her high heels thumped across the carpet and she whispered, "Scream."

"Huh?"

"Scream or I will make you scream. They're listening to us."

She let out a loud, and hopefully pitiful, wail. Blondie rolled her eyes and slapped her hand over Lalita’s mouth, cutting the scream off. "Good girl, you want to please me, don't you? Now get on your knees and clean my shoes."

Blondie's dirty talk made Lalita choke back a giggle. The unreality of the situation combined with the trigger and whatever drug they gave her to knock her out made her feel loopy.

Removing her hand, Blondie examined her for injuries. "Asher's in the hospital. He will probably limp for the rest of his life, but he'll live. Kent is on a nearby boat with a small anti-terrorism unit." Smoothing back her hair, Blondie checked her pupil response. "We don't know what they have planned. That's why I'm here. Diana is up above keeping her eye on things and trying to get information out of Rashid and Nurse Nancy. Do you have any idea what they are going to do?"

"Whatever it is, they're going to make me do it." She let out an overly loud sobbing moan that made Blondie shake her head in amusement. The trigger continued to do its work, stiffening her nipples against her top and making her squirm. "How did you get on here?"

"Nurse Nancy, yes, her name really is Nancy, is a fan of my wife's website. Every time she comes into town, she spends loads of money at the club so we make sure we're nice to her. She's been trying impress Diana enough to be invited to play with us with her master." Blondie made a dramatic barfing noise. "As if. Diana contacted her last night and arranged to finally have a play date. We sweetened the deal this morning by offering money in exchange for some time with one of David's slaves. An exotic Indian girl with royal blood and blonde hair."

"Is Diana going to be okay up there?" The ache in her body deepened, distracting her. She could do this. There was no choice but to hold herself together and resist the trigger.

"Yes, she is upstairs being entertained by a drunk Rashid. They won't touch her without my permission. David values his standing in the BDSM community too much. And I think that Nancy would kick his ass for messing things up for her with Diana, submissive or not." Blondie's full red lips pressed into a thin line. "Scream again, and try to make it sound good."

Opening her mouth wide, Lalita screamed and added, "Yes, mistress, may I have another," in what she hoped was a pitiful wail.

"You're a horrible actress." In a louder voice, Blondie yelled "Bad little girl, for that you get a spanking."

Unbidden, the carnal images of Blondie caning her last night tightened her pussy. The heat of the memory warmed her body, making it liquid and heavy. Gripping her hands into fists, she tried to will her body into a relaxed state. "Who else is on the yacht?"

"It's a rented boat. The crew is comprised of our men." That thought made her feel better and she leaned back against the bed. The movement caused the seam of her jeans to press into her pussy and she shifted to try to relieve the sensation. "There are also four anarchists, including puppy girl and Rashid."

Standing up, Lalita began to pace the small room. "Please, mistress, please tell me what you want." She tried to give Blondie a joking smile, but the woman watched her too closely.

"That bad already?" Blondie asked in a low voice.

Lalita opened a small closet, and gasped as a dildo big enough to please a horse fell out. Behind an assortment of sexual devices hung a couple of sparkling green rubber suits with elaborate gas masks.

"Oh, I do not want to know where that's been." Blondie tugged her away from the closet. "You need to be on your game when it's time for you to do--whatever you're supposed to do." She removed her gloves and set them over to the side. "Do you need me to … relieve you?"